A blog covering all matters refereeing, the Premier League, Football League, Scottish football and occasionally European football

Referee Pedro Proenca to officiate Euro 2012 Final

Champions League Final referee Pedro Proenca, from Portugal, will take charge of the Euro 2012 Final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Uefa have announced.

Dishing out discipline: Proenca – a financial advisor from Lisbon – has been the most used of the 12 officials at the tournament (Picture from Zimbio.com)

UEFA have announced referee Pedro Proenca will oversee Sunday’s showpiece final at Euro 2012 between Spain and Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.

The 41-year-old Portuguese official, who is also a financial advisor, has been given the 31st match of the tournament when the curtain comes down on a thrilling tournament in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday, July 1.

The finale places the reigning world and European champions against the 2006 World Cup winners and one-time European championship winners Italy.

Proenca, born in Lisbon, has been officiating in Portugal’s top-flight since the beginning of the 1998-1999 season while he was promoted to FIFA’s elite international list in 2003.

Among his accolades include being named as the Portuguese referee of the season for 2006-07 as voted by his fellow colleagues after a string of excellent performances which was rewarded with the appointment to a Portuguese cup semi-final.

Proenca was the best referee of the 2010-11 season as named by the Portuguese Football Federation, in which he oversaw five Champions League games during that campaign including Manchester United’s semi-final second leg win over Schalke at Old Trafford.

He has taken charge of two Portuguese cup finals and three Super Cups in his career. Last season, he officiated in 42 games in total brandishing 114 yellow cards while handing out nine red cards.

Proenca took charge of five Champions League games during 2011-12 including three group stage matches: Marseille’s 1-0 defeat of Olympiakos in September where he dismissed French defender Rod Fanni, Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over La Liga side Villarreal in November and a goalless draw between Lille and Trabzonspor in December.

In March, he was the man in black for the last 16 second-leg between Inter Milan against Marseille at the San Siro – where he awarded the Italian outfit a last-minute penalty and sent off Marseille’s goalkeeper Steve Mandanda but the French side went through on the away goals.

Proenca was selected as man in the middle for last season’s Uefa Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea at the Allianz Arena, awarding the Bundesliga runners-up a penalty in extra-time for Didier Drogba’s foul on Franck Ribery which Petr Cech saved from Arjen Robben.

The Premier League side went on to lift the trophy for the first time in their history after being victorious on penalties.

(Reuters) - The return of all-rounder Ben Stokes will be a welcome boost to the England squad as he provides much-needed balance and lifts morale, team mate Moeen Ali said ahead of the two-match test series in New Zealand.

(Reuters) - An emotional Juan Martin del Potro could barely believe he had finally won a Masters 1000 series title at the 51st attempt at Indian Wells on Sunday but is determined to keep the trophies coming in his late career renaissance.